Reigate & Banstead is seeing an increase in extreme poverty some people will find surprising.
In January we have reported:
Policymakers are on the case. The Welfare Reform Bill before parliament is intended to help by encouraging work and ensuring benefits are available to those most in need. One aspect of the debate is how to define poverty. This week the House of Lords voted to change a section of the Bill that would remove household income from the measures of child poverty.
The different views on definitions of poverty all have merit. What matters is parliamentarians reach decisions and make law in full knowledge of what is actually happening.
Citizens Advice can help. Our work day-in day-out with clients gives us a deep understanding of their experience and it’s always up-to-date. We hope, and have evidence, that our representatives in parliament do take account of this accumulated knowledge.
(We hope too they will recognise its value by ensuring it continues to be properly funded.)